Beauty In Caring

ARTinMEDICINE

John Saito, MD

Click here to see Channel 6 Video News Clip

Welcome to my web site!

Click on the hyperlink to enter my gallery of oil paintings.

(Note: Web pages are graphics-intensive and may take time to download.)

Mission Statement

Most people think medicine and art is an unusual combination. Medicine is based on science, technology and factual evidence while art is personal, subjective, and interpretational. Seemingly divergent interests have created a rich blend that allows me to utilize both my medical and art training to express very deep emotions and experiences shared by doctors and patients. Painting keeps me attuned to my emotions, my humanity, and my compassion. Medicine allows me to view events with a scientific and clinical eye and provides beautiful visuals to recreate on canvas. Although very different in many ways, art and medicine have found a balance for me that is filled with beauty, humanity, and warmth.

My work is a visual diary of my experiences in the world of medicine. Each painting is snapshot of not only what I see, but also what I feel and how it reflects my sense of amazement and wonder about the unique human experience of healing. For example, it is truly awe inspiring to be at an emergency cesarean section at 3am when an obstetrician skillfully cuts into a woman’s belly and reaches deep into her body to bring a newborn into the world. Just as amazing is the handoff of that newborn into my sure hands for delivery to the awaiting warmer for assessment. Imagine the wonderful experience of handing the baby over to the anxiously awaiting parents who are overjoyed with their gift of life.

There are so many other wonderful people and experiences. There is the neonatologist cradling the premature newborn completely within palm of his hands, the lactation consultant who patiently teaches a new mom on the lost art of breast feeding, the pediatric heart surgeon skillfully mending a newborn’s tiny heart with sutures so fine that they are barely visible, and then there is the little girl peering into her baby sister’s isolette and wondering when she will come home.

Painting the human interaction between patient and physician brings empathy to my work as a doctor. The courage and poignancy of my patients, the excellence and compassion of my fellow physicians, and the endless wonderment of the human body provides limitless inspiration for my art.

My artistic mission is to offer insight into the science and technology of medicine through the emotion and warmth of my paintings. Through vivid colors and textures, I seek to portray the human spirit of my colleagues and patients in the high tech world of modern medicine. In essence, my goal is to capture the art of caring.

As a pediatric pulmonary fellow at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, I’ve had the opportunity to experience the richness of caring for all kinds of patients, including those with cystic fibrosis. Over the years, I have compiled a series of portraitures of these courageous patients and their caregivers. I have posted them here on this site for your consideration. I hope you enjoy what you see.

Through ARTinMEDICINE, I want to achieve several objectives. Artistically, I want to bring to art the life of medicine. Medically, I want to bring to medicine the unifying and healing potential of art. Ultimately, I want to return to people the essential value of art in all our lives.

New for 2009!

As a former Texas A & M faculty member and Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Affiliate Center at Scott & White Hospital, I had a wonderful opportunity to provide excellent CF patient. Our CF Center data (available at www.cff.org) over the past 4 years reflect the vast improvements we have made during my tenure there.

In August 2009, I stepped down from my position above to join a nationally-ranked pulmonary team and CF Center at Cook Children’s Physician Network in Fort Worth, Texas. It is a new adventure that will hopefully allow me to continue my advocacy work in not only CF but also in other areas affecting children’s health including obesity, second hand tobacco smoke exposure, and sleep health.

Current and past activities:

1. Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening Advocacy in Texas:

UPDATE FOR ALL TEXANS:

WE DID IT!

Four years after it was passed as an unfunded mandate, we have finally been able to secure funding for CF newborn screening!

Implementation of this program is targeted for December 1, 2009.

Click here to see Video News Clip

March of Dimes 2008 Volunteer Service Award, Texas Chapter

I am currently working with the Texas Department of State Health Services and CF Center Directors across the state to reach our implementation goals.

Stay tuned!

2. CF Health Literacy:

I am currently producing a graphic novel featuring designed to improve health literacy by entertaining/educating all readers about CF in a new and more dynamic way. This is especially important since CF newborn screening for all newborn children should be implemented by all states (with the exception of Texas – see below). Please follow this link for a preview of the project:

www.MagicPaintBrush.ARTinMEDICINE.com

If you would like participate in my CF health literacy project or exhibit my work at your hospital, please feel free to contact me via e-mail: John.Saito@cookchildrens.org

3. Obama-Biden Transition Project:

Scott & White Center for Healthcare Policy was chosen to participate in the Obama-Biden Transition Project involving Health Care Community Discussions. The New York Times reported that over 4,200 events are being held "at The behest of President-elect Barack Obama", during which healthcare consumers will gather in small groups "to discuss healthcare." The programs are part of "an experiment in grass-roots politics and policy-making, to provide recommendations to The President-elect."